Got in a wreck last night! Darn it!

OKnewguy · Dec 22, 2009

Well gang, I have not posted about this for awhile. A lawyer relative advised me not to post anything about it until we were paid. It took awhile but the other guys insurance company finally were able to contact him and confirm with him that he was at fault. They said that this was routine, even thou they had the police report with his numerous citations. This guy was avoiding their calls????
We got paid for a totaled vehicle! I am pleased, I could not envision that that Expedition could ever be repaired properly and be safe. They settled for FULL RETAIL. I was shocked and was ready to fight, but they came at me with a full retail and we are good to go. They did have a limit on the rental care, (which was today) but that is okay. We do have another vehicle, my work fan.
This has been a stressful ordeal and I would not wish it on my worst enemy.
Thanks for the support, Dave

Diamondpilot · Dec 22, 2009

Glad it worked out for you. Now to find another vehicle to replace it. Should be a good time to buy with sales being down and Christmas and all.

Chris

OKnewguy · Dec 23, 2009

Yep, the great truck/suv search commences! I really do not mind buying vehicles. It usually takes me a month or two, but that Expedition I had we purchased in June of 09 for $12500, and we got $18,100 for insurance. I knew it would go for at least 17k at a dealer. The key is to be flexible on colors and frilly options. How is that Titan treating you Diamond? Before I bought the Expedition the Titan was also a consideration.
Dave

Diamondpilot · Dec 23, 2009

OKnewguy said:
How is that Titan treating you Diamond? Before I bought the Expedition the Titan was also a consideration.
Dave

I really like the Titan. Now has 17K on it. I pulls like a freight train for a 1/2 ton gas truck. Best gas truck for towing I have driven in a 1/2 ton. Gas mpg is not its strong suit but mine is modified with larger tires, lift, gear ratio, ect. I see about 15 mpg at best. Took it 2 times to Knoxville, TN area last summer and did right at 10-10.5 mpg at 75 on the highway with 4 in the truck, bed full of beer and stuff, and a 7K boat in tow. I let my die hard GM buddy drive it home part of the way. He as a 2500 with the 6.0 and he said he never though he would consider a Nissan or a Toyota but they were now first on his list.

I never owned a Expedition but my dad had 2. Not one single issue with either. Both were 4x4 5.4L. One was a XLT and the other a Eddie Bauer. I have had 6 F-150's, basically the same thing, and liked them all really well.

I am sure you will find what you want if you wait. I searched high and low for the Titan and got just what I wanted for the price I wanted.

Chris

OKnewguy · Dec 24, 2009

Thanks for the info in the Titan. My previous truck was a 03 Dakota, not a bad little truck. But then I got the 2 foot itus boat disease and upgraded to a fairly large/heavy starcraft deckboat. The Dakota was theoretical still under the limits, but I felt like the tail was waging the dog. That Dakota was a great truck, had it from 3600 miles to around 66k. I did not do anything to it the whole time! Never a single problem, but it did seem to wear weird the front tires. Other then that it really was great. The Expedition 5.4, was night and day. Towed that boat really great, and actually got better mileage then the Dodge.
Right now the Titans, F150's and Tundra's are on my list and maybe another Expedition. I have always been very impressed with the Titans towing specs, it is good to hear they are not bs ratings. I have driven a couple, one 07 or 06 with around 40k and an 05 with around 90k. I was very impressed with that 05 with 90k. It drove like it was new. It just felt tight. My work van is a 04 E150 with around 100k and it is somewhat loosey goosey. (I am not knocking the Ford vans, in past jobs I almost exclusively used them), but the Titan just felt great for that many miles. How do the older Tundra's tow (the previous body style).
I think we are going to try and go slightly older/cheaper on the tow vehicle and use this as an opportunity to upgrade my wife's car.
Thanks Gang, and Merry Christmas!
Dave

Diamondpilot · Dec 24, 2009

OKnewguy said:
How do the older Tundra's tow (the previous body style).
I think we are going to try and go slightly older/cheaper on the tow vehicle and use this as an opportunity to upgrade my wife's car.
Thanks Gang, and Merry Christmas!
Dave

I would personally stay away from any Tundra other than the current generation with the big engine. I have driven one, about a 2005 with a 5,000# 21' Rinker on a tandem trailer. It was all it wanted even though the tow rating was around 7,000# or so. It had the only V8 engine available, a 4.7L V8 that worked hard to keep the load going. It was not really full size, much like your Dakota, and the trailer seemed a little much for it. The guy who had the Tundra changed over to a Yukon Denali and it was night a day difference much like your Dakota and Expedition experience.

Make sure you study the Titan before you buy. The dealers do not know these trucks at all. There are many different packages and axle ratio's and ratings that will vary the tow rating by 2,000 or more. Same with any truck but the Nissan dealers seem less informed. I guess this is because of the low sales numbers. They never really pushed the Titan.

Chris

farmboy12 · Dec 24, 2009

OKnewguy said:
How do the older Tundra's tow (the previous body style).

The Tundra's are great vehicles. I would opt for the current model, but my uncle has an 05/06, I can't remember. It is a great vehicle, there is one exception, it has a terrible turning radius. It was only on his year, and anyone else he talks to with a different year says they turn great. He's never towed with it, but from the way it drives, I wouldn't hesitate to pull 7.5k at 65mph. After that, it would be a little tough I believe. We have had almost 4k in the bed moving around the farm, though. It did fine with that.

I don't want to get DP and Dmace started, but we had a Hemi in our Durango that we sold to the same uncle mentioned. When we had it, we pulled up to 6k with it, and it did great. I would NOT want it in any form bigger than a 1/2 ton, though. That thing was like a mule, and it had a great acceleration even with a load. I drove it the other day with 4k behind it, plus 4 guys inside, with a bunch of stuff in the back, with a full tank of fuel. Pulled it up a fairly muddy 40*+ hill in 2wd, with pretty standard tires.

Kyle

OKnewguy · Dec 24, 2009

Thanks Diamond and Farmboy, I might open up the search to the full size Dodges as well. I love the new Tundra's but they are probably out of the price range. With out getting into politics, I am very disappointed in Dodge and Chevy for taking the bail out money. I just do not know if I can bring myself to support either one of them now. Back before they took the Federal money, they should have come out with a press statement along the lines (we want to remain independent, please help support our product). I feel that this is the main reason Ford has been doing better since Dodge and Chevy took the bail out.
Since I am probably only going to put 5k or so on this vehicle per year, I going to keep the price tag to around 9 to 12 grand. The Expedition was nice, but I did miss having a truck.
I appreciate all the input and Merry Christmas!
Dave

dgl24087 · Dec 24, 2009

The Tundra 4.7L (276 hp and 313 ft-lb torque) was replaced by a 4.6L, 310hp and 327 ft-lb torque, for the 2010 model year.

Renze · Dec 25, 2009

About two or three cars ago ( i guess its 4 years) i was towing my brothers two ton tandem behind my Volvo 440. At a very narrow lane, surrounded by trees and banks, a car approached at an estimated 90 km/h. I pulled to the side, hit the curb with the wheels and decided i wouldnt try to get up the curb as the trailer might pull the car into the berm.

The other car (a salesman in a hurry. What else ?

) veered to my side of the road and we just TOUCHED mirrors, but unlucky as he was, he smashed his mirror through his drivers door window when he hit the trailer, which was 4 inch wider than the car.

Off course he tried to put the blame on me, i wouldnt let him pass... The particular section of road was over 4.5 meter wide, so if you have a 2 meter wide trailer passing a 1.8 meter car, you could still pass in the middle with a motorcycle at high speed.

The guy was just overspeeding (60km/h was allowed there due to bad visibility from high banks, trees and curves, we estimated his speed at over 100) and couldnt keep it on his own lane. I had a friend with me who could testify that i couldnt move over more without climbing up the bank.

When my insurance agent called to ask if i had any damage to my vehicle, i said that the trailer was already in the shop for major repair, which includes a respray anyways, so i had already been easy on the other guy about the trailer. And that my car was dirty right now, so i could not yet see if there was any damage to my vehicle.

Three weeks later the lady of my insurance agency called again. I said, i still havent washed my car. But do both insurance companies yet decide whos blame it is ? I mean, probably something will be clearly visible after i wash it.
She said, how should i put this to the other parties insurance ?? I said very calm, tell them exactly what i just said: The guy was overspeeding and veered into my lane, i have a witness, and i even let him off easy by not claiming anything for the trailer. If the guy was to blame, his insurance company only has to pay damage to the other party (ME) but i dont have any damage. So i dont understand why they help this crook to claim his self-inflicted damage onto me, if they dont have to pay anyways ? PLease say that i asked you to repeat me literally, give them my number in case they have any questions. I think then they'll know exactly how the wrench fits the nut then.

The lady from my insurance agency said with some hesitation "ok thats what i'll do then.. Thank you"

...Off course i never got a phone call from the other guys insurance, just two months later, she called that the insurance companies agreed that both parties should pay for their own damage...

It sure is nasty when you meet people which are as crooked as their insurance companies... Threatening them with a piece of their own pie, usually helps so they'll back off from their natural habit to automatically blame everything on the other party..